History of the EU

The aim of founding the European Union was to put an end to the frequent and bloody wars between neighbours that culminated in the Second World War. From 1950 the European Coal and Steel Community begins to unite European countries economically and politically in order to secure lasting peace. The six founding states are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The 1950s were a period of cold war between East and West. In 1956 Soviet tanks crushed protests against the communist regime in Hungary. The Treaty of Rome in 1957 establishes the European Economic Community (EEC), the so-called common market.

The 1960s were a period of economic growth, helped by the fact that EU member states stopped charging customs duties on trade with one another. They also agree to joint control over food production so that there is enough for everyone, and soon there is even a surplus of agricultural produce. May 1968 became famous for student protests in Paris, and many changes in society and behaviour are associated with the so-called '68 generation.

With the accession of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom to the European Union on 1 January 1973, the number of member states rises to nine. The fall of the Salazar regime in Portugal in 1974 and the death of General Franco in Spain in 1975 see the last right-wing dictatorships in Europe disappear. Through EU regional policy, large amounts of money were invested to create jobs and build infrastructure in poorer areas. The influence of the European Parliament in European affairs grows, and in 1979 EU citizens directly elect their representatives to the European Parliament for the first time. In the 1970s the fight against pollution intensifies. The EU adopts laws to protect the environment, introducing for the first time the "polluter pays" principle.

The rise of Lech Wałęsa at the head of the Polish trade union Solidarity and the strikes at the Gdańsk shipyard marked the summer of 1980 in Europe and the world. In 1981 Greece becomes the tenth EU member state, and five years later Spain and Portugal join the EU. In 1986 the Single European Act was signed. That treaty laid the foundations for an extensive six-year programme aimed at solving the problems of free cross-border trade between EU member states and made it possible to create the single market. The fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989 brings about a major political upheaval. After 28 years the border between East and West Germany reopens, leading to the reunification of Germany through the merger of East and West Germany in October 1990.

1990 – 1999 — Europe without borders: The fall of communism in central, eastern and south-eastern Europe brings Europeans closer together again. The single market was completed in 1993 with the free movement of goods, services, people and capital. The 1990s were a decade marked by two treaties: the Treaty on European Union, concluded in Maastricht in 1993, and the Treaty of Amsterdam of 1999. Europeans become increasingly concerned with protecting the environment, as well as with cooperation between European countries in the field of security and defence. In 1995 three more countries join the EU: Austria, Finland and Sweden. The small Luxembourg town of Schengen gives its name to the agreements that gradually allow people to travel without passport checks when crossing borders. Millions of young people study in other European countries with EU support. Communication is made easier by the increased use of mobile phones and the internet.

Many Europeans now use a new currency – the euro. During this decade more and more countries adopt the euro. After the attacks using hijacked aircraft in New York and Washington, 11 September 2001 becomes synonymous with the "war on terror". EU countries begin to cooperate more closely in the fight against crime. As many as ten new members join the EU in 2004, followed by Bulgaria and Romania in 2007, ending the political divide between East and West Europe. A financial crisis hits the world economy in September 2008. After ratification in all member states, the Treaty of Lisbon enters into force in 2009. It provides for modern institutions and more efficient working methods in the EU.

Europe is hit hard by the global economic crisis. The EU helps individual countries cope with the difficulties and sets up a "banking union" to create a safer and more reliable banking sector. In 2012 the European Union is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2013 Croatia becomes the 28th member state of the EU. Climate change remains one of the priorities and leaders reach an agreement on reducing harmful emissions. The European elections are held in 2014 and more Eurosceptics are elected to the European Parliament. After Russia annexed Crimea, a new security policy was established. The EU looks for ways to care for these people, while at the same time being the target of several terrorist attacks.